Learning to Fall
by Kkat84
Summary: Chris got the future he wanted. Except there's one problem he only remembers his old past. He'll have to learn to trust his new family the hard way.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed or any of the characters from the show. I do own Elisa, Matt, Jamie, Morgan, and Alyssa. Hands off!

Learning to Fall

Chapter 1

Chris opened his eyes, realizing that his lifeblood was no longer running out of his body. Was he dead? "You're awake," a small voice said excitedly. Chris opened his eyes and looked around, cautiously propping himself up. A small girl with short blonde hair grinned at him. She ran out of the room yelling "Elisa!" A moment later, a girl came in, relief, annoyance, and amusement fighting for dominance on her face. "Chris, you scared us half to death," she scolded. "Lee?" Chris asked in disbelief. The young woman raised her eyebrows. "You must have hit your head really hard. Not that you don't deserve it, trying a trick like that." As she spoke, she touched his forehead. He felt a rush of magic wash over him. Suddenly, she went gasped and stiffened. Chris' past memories seemed to swirl and flow around the two of them. Elisa staggered back and dropped to her knees. She knelt for a few moments, then stood slowly up. She stared at him as though he were some strange creature she had never seen before. "We need to talk," she said slowly.

Chris spent the next hour answering his cousin's questions. In his timeline, Phoebe's daughter had died as a child. He couldn't believe how glad he was to see her. He also couldn't believe how good an interrogator she was. She asked questions calmly, always appearing serene, but she learned more from him in one hour than Wyatt's demons could learn in a year. He leaned back as he drank his fourth glass of water. "Who's the little girl?" he asked. "That's Billie's daughter, Kari. Mom and the aunts started training Billie when you were a baby, and she just kind of got absorbed into the family, I guess. She lives nearby." Elisa smiled wryly. "She's always been kind of a confidante/protector for all of us. She knows where we buried the bodies, so to speak. Sometimes literally, in the case of missing hamsters." Chris felt his mouth twitch. "Who was responsible for that?"

"I was hoping you could tell me-it was my hamster. I have my suspicions, though." Chris momentarily forgot this wasn't the cousin he knew as he burst out laughing. Elisa's chuckle joined his. "Well, I guess I should fill you in on the family." She paused to think. "Two most important things-Wyatt's good, and everyone's alive. You have a younger sister named Laura. I'm an only child. Aunt Paige has two kids-twins. Their names are Matt and Jamie." A voice yelling their names stopped the conversation. "Follow my lead," Elisa hissed. She caught his shoulder, telling him to orb.

They appeared in the kitchen to find everyone in the family waiting. Three children Chris didn't recognize were chasing each other around the table-he assumed they were his sister and cousins. "We were wondering when you planned to wake up," a familiar voice said behind him. Chris froze momentarily, then turned to face Wyatt. He was at a complete loss for words. Fingers dug into his skin, forcing his attention to the cousin standing beside him. "I told you the two of you shouldn't have gone rock-climbing. I think his brain is damaged." Wyatt snorted at Elisa's comment. "Like he has one to damage." Apparently accepting the explanation, he grabbed a bowl of salad and helped set the table.

Chris said very little throughout the meal. His mother-she was alive!-gave him worried glances, but said nothing. The everyday dinner chatter seemed like a foreign language to him. The Charmed Ones were different than he remembered, but still the same. They teased each other and the kids in what seemed like a familiar pattern for all of them. Laura seemed to be older than she looked; he was having trouble figuring out just how old she was. Matt and Jamie covertly launched pieces of broccoli at each other. Elisa seemed determined to deflect any questions aimed at Chris. He pled exhaustion at the end of the meal and went upstairs.

The next day he went for a walk outside. The sky and the trees were beautiful. He sat on a rock and watched the squirrels search for food. "Hey, I've been looking for you," a female voice said. He looked up to see a dark-haired girl standing behind him. She sat down gracefully on a log. "Wyatt said you fell and hit your head?" Chris nodded, wishing Elisa would come. He had no idea who this girl was. Her eyes were brilliant sapphire orbs. "Remind me to teach you how to walk. It's really not that hard." He smiled politely, wishing she would leave. Her smile turned to a frown. "You know, Chris, I'm supposed to be the moody one," she said abruptly. She got to her feet in one smooth movement, then walked away. Chris stared in shock. Who was she?

After a few hours, he walked back to the house. He decided to look for Elisa. Maybe she was in the attic? He orbed upstairs-and found the strange girl reading the Book of Shadows. He stared at her. "What are you doing here?" She scowled at him. "Looking for something, what does it look like?"

"You're a witch?" He instantly wished he hadn't said that. "As if you didn't know!" She stared at him, her face going suddenly calm. Then she smiled brilliantly. "Can you go get that spell you wrote a few weeks ago for the Kazi demons?"

"Sure," Chris said, not knowing what to say. He would search until Elisa came; she had promised to be back by five. He felt the girl's eyes on him.

Chris sat on his bed, trying to think. Could he call for Elisa? Someone knocked on his door, then opened it. Wyatt walked in, followed by the dark-haired girl and another girl he didn't know. "Did you find that spell yet?"

"I don't remember where I put it."

"Never mind," Wyatt said. Chris suddenly felt invisible bonds wrap around him. Gesturing, Wyatt orbed him out. Chris found himself in the attic, lying in a warding circle. Wyatt and the girls orbed in. The three fanned out around the circle. "Who the heck are you?" Wyatt demanded. "I'm Chris, what are you talking about?" Chris hissed in pain as telekinesis launched him against the barrier. "Let me make something clear. I ask the questions, you answer." Chris swore at him, then was thrown against the barrier once more. Elisa suddenly appeared. "Wyatt Matthew Halliwell, you stop that right now! What do you think you're doing?"

"Trying to figure out who this demon is!"

"He's not a demon, he's your brother!"

"Then why doesn't he know who we are," the dark-haired girl demanded. "And why is he acting so strange?"

Elisa stared in shock, then comprehension. "Let him go," she sighed. "He's Chris, I promise." Wyatt looked at her skeptically. She glared at him. "He came from an alternate timeline; his memories haven't switched over yet. The world has changed a lot; so there's a lot he doesn't know. I talked to Aunt Piper about it. She didn't say much, but she did say that he is Chris." Wyatt gestured abruptly, and the circle disappeared. He walked over to Chris, who pulled away. Wyatt held him in a firm but gentle grip as he healed him. "I don't believe this," the girl said angrily. Wyatt looked at her. "Morgan, why don't you go help Jamie with her homework. We'll talk later." The second girl, who hadn't spoken, followed her. She paused to give Chris an apologetic look, then left. Elisa stepped forward quickly. "Chris, I'm so sorry. I should have realized something would happen. Wyatt, can you give us ten minutes?" He sighed and nodded, then orbed out. Elisa looked at Chris hesitantly. "I should have remembered to tell you about Morgan. I'm sorry."

"Who is she? And who's the other girl?"

"Morgan is your best friend." Elisa bit her lip, then continued. "The other girl is Alyssa, Wyatt's girlfriend. We usually call her Lyssa. Both Lyssa and Morgan are witches. Lyssa's known Wyatt since kindergarten." Chris frowned suddenly. "Wait, I do remember Lyssa. Wyatt didn't know her very well, though."

"Well, this Wyatt does. The two are inseparable. Just like you and Morgan were." He caught the sadness in her voice. "I'm sorry I don't remember her."

"Well, maybe you will. Wyatt and Lyssa will talk to her." She grimaced. "You have to understand, Chris. You've known each other since you were twelve, and she trusts you above everyone else. That's why she was so angry. If you were a demon impersonating Chris, it would make sense why you didn't know her. But if you really are Chris…she's just lost her best friend."

I don't really know where I'm going with this, but I'll get there. Read and review, please! Let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

Learning to Fall

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize from the show. The inspiration for Morgan's powers came from Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy. It seemed to fit with what I wanted.

Sorry it took me so long to update. I honestly thought I had put more than one chapter up. So, I'll give you two for one. Please review!

Chapter 2:

Chris managed to finally relax as he watched the sunset. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" He turned to see Alyssa, eyes on the horizon. She stretched her arms out and tilted her head as though trying to catch the rays of sun. The light caught the fire of her hair as she turned to look at him. He shook his head, trying to banish the thoughts. She wasn't Bianca, and anyway, she was someone's girlfriend. "Fiancée, actually" she said. He stared at her, and she blushed. "Sorry, I'm a telepath. Don't worry," she added dryly. "I actually have no objection to people thinking I'm pretty, as long as they don't try to act on it. Then I have to teach them a lesson." Chris laughed at her mischievous smile. Her voice held a slight Southern accent. "Seriously," she added. "I wanted to apologize to you for earlier today. We should have talked to Elisa first."

"Forget about it," Chris replied. He tried to forget how terrified he had been. "Tell you what, I will when you will. Deal?" Chris shook his head. "I told you, it's nothing."

"Let me explain something to you," she said in a wry echo of Wyatt, "I'm more stubborn than any of you Halliwells put together. Heads I win, tails you lose. So, do we have a deal?"

"I guess I don't have a choice, do I? Deal."

Alyssa sat down on a rock beside him. "Why are you scared of Wyatt?"

"I'm not scared of him!"

"Telepath, remember? You're terrified."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"So, he was an evil dictator who killed your girlfriend?"

Chris stared at her in shock. "You need to work on your shields," she told him with a smirk.

"You have an unfair advantage," Wyatt said from behind him. He looked at Chris warily, nodding slightly. Alyssa's face seemed to light up as she saw him. He gave her a brief, one-armed hug. "Alyssa isn't entirely human," he explained to Chris. "Her mother was a light elemental." Chris understood instantly. Light elementals were light that was shaped into human form. They formed for reasons no one knew, not even them. Sometimes they were trapped for a time, until their mortal bodies died. Alyssa's heritage explained her uncanny beauty and the way the light wrapped itself around her. He noticed suddenly that she was glowing a little. Seeing his reaction, she blushed and the light intensified. "Hey, you shocked me," Wyatt laughed. Alyssa giggled as she perched herself back on the rock. "Like you're not used to it. I obeyed my marching orders, now you obey yours." Wyatt turned to look at Chris. "Chris, I really am sorry." Chris looked away, not sure what to say. Wyatt looked helplessly at Alyssa, who gestured at him to continue. "Last year, Chris, a demon stole your form. Before we realized he wasn't Chris…you, he nearly killed Laura." He was silent for a moment. "Actually…he did kill Laura. Morgan brought her back from the dead." Chris stared in shock. "So, we thought it was happening again and we jumped the gun." Chris nodded slowly. He had to admit, it was understandable. Alyssa jumped off the rock. "Let's go inside. It's getting chilly out here." Both young men followed her inside. Chris noticed that she continued to glow in the fading light. Chris closed his eyes, glad to sleep. Too much had happened today.

Chapter 3

He woke up the next morning to find Kari bouncing on the bed. "Wake up, wake up, wake up," she chanted. Chris moaned and rolled over onto his stomach. Kari promptly climbed on his back and demanded a piggyback ride. He heard someone give a low chuckle. "Come on, sweetheart," Wyatt said as he picked Kari up. "Go wake Elisa up."

"She'll spank me," Kari protested. Wyatt laughed. "Go wake Laura up, then you two get Elisa. You can run away." Kari giggled with delight. Bouncing out of Wyatt's arms, Kari ran out of the room. "Come on, Chris, it's time for breakfast. Mom's making blueberry pancakes." Chris debated for a moment, then decided the pancakes were worth it. Seeing him climb out of bed, Wyatt orbed downstairs, with Chris close behind.

The delicious smell of pancakes hit Chris as soon as he appeared in the kitchen. The twins were already sitting at the table, watching the food like sharks on the hunt. A sleepy Elisa glared at a giggling Kari and an equally sleepy Laura. "Kari spent the night here while Billie was working," Wyatt explained to Chris. As soon as everyone was sitting down, they began eating. Silence reigned as all the Halliwells concentrated on the important task of eating Piper's pancakes. Piper fussed over Chris continually, to the mild annoyance of the three youngest. Laura kept shooting Chris wary glances; she was not quite sure what to make of this strange older brother who didn't recognize her. She stayed close to Wyatt, and said little to Chris. Matt and Jamie were absorbed in their own conversations. Elisa was barely awake, and responded with monosyllables or silence. Kari automatically assumed Chris would love her as much as anyone else, and chatted nonstop.

Piper told the younger kids that they couldn't play until they finished their homework, turning a deaf ear to groans and pleas. Elisa locked herself in her room; she had a project due the next day. Laura, Matt, and Jamie stretched out on the floor to do their homework. Chris heard voices upstairs arguing. "Morgan, he is Chris!"

"I know that, Wyatt, but he's not our Chris!"

"There aren't two of them running around," Wyatt answered dryly.

"You know what I mean! He doesn't remember us, any of us!"

"He may get his memories back."

"And what if he doesn't?"

"Does it matter?"

Morgan sighed. "I don't trust him, Wyatt, I can't. I'm sorry."

"Morgan…"

"Our Chris, the one I would trust my life with, is dead. Or he might as well be."

A cold wind blew through the hallway as Morgan left. Chris tried to slip past the room, but Wyatt saw him. "Chris!" Reluctantly, Chris went inside. "How much of that did you hear?" Chris avoided his eyes. "All of it, then," Wyatt sighed. "Chris, Morgan isn't good at trusting people."

"I can see."

Wyatt grimaced. "Elisa may be able to talk her around."

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does, Chris. The barrier between life and death was damaged back when we were toddlers. It's why Morgan was born, we think. She was raised at Magic School. The two of you started training together when you were twelve. She can certainly work on her own, but she'll lose her edge-and sometimes that's the only thing that keeps her alive."

"Where does she live?"

"At Magic School. She's here most of the time, though. She got to be a handful around the age of twelve, so they sent her to Mom and the aunts to see if they could control her. Wyatt laughed. "She avoided us like the plague; kept running away. One day Mom cast a tracking spell, only something went seriously wrong and it bound the two of you together. It took us two weeks to figure out how to undo it."

Chris had to grin. "What about Elisa's missing hamster?" Wyatt exploded with laughter. "That was all you. You were supposed to take care of it; it died somehow. We buried it in the yard; you asked Morgan to do something so that it wouldn't be found."

"Can I be held responsible for something my other self did?"

Wyatt looked at him soberly. "That's your choice, kid." Chris realized he wasn't talking about hamsters.

A scream from downstairs pushed both of them into orbing into the living room. A group of demons had back Laura, Matt, and Jamie against a wall. The three of them gripped hands as they chanted spells. Time warped a little for Chris then. He and Wyatt instinctively fought as a team, knowing each other's moves without having to consider it. Five minutes later, the demons were vanquished. Wyatt and Chris stared in surprise at each other. Wyatt gave him a half-smile, unable to hold it back. Chris had to smile back. Wyatt checked on his sister and cousins, who were fine. Elisa complained about demons interrupting her homework. "You'd rather do homework than fight demons?" Wyatt demanded. "When I've got a project due tomorrow, yes. Fighting demons won't earn me an A."

"You and your obsession over school," Wyatt said scornfully.

"Oh, like you didn't get straight A's up through college, and mostly A's after that. Not all of us are resident geniuses like you."

"School's not important," Laura said absently.

"What did I just hear you say, young lady?" Piper's angry voice made her daughter flinch. "Come on, Mom, Wyatt's right. Fighting demons is more important than schoolwork."

"Well, then you can stay inside and copy the Book of Shadows the next time you want to go to the movies," Piper retorted. Seeing Laura open her mouth to reply, Chris warned her, "You might want to quit while you're behind."

Stung, Laura glared at him. "What would you know about it?"

"That's it, young lady. Go to your room, right now!" Laura orbed out, muttering about the unfairness of mothers. Piper hugged Chris, making him roll his eyes. "Don't worry, peanut, she'll come around."

"She reminds me of someone else I knew, come to think of it," Paige laughed. Wyatt and Elisa looked confused. "She even memorizes the book of Shadows," Phoebe added. "HEY! Mind explaining this to us!"

"We were just saying she's a lot like Chris."

"Well, why didn't you just say so?"

"Watch your tone, young lady."

"I'm not Laura's age, Mom."

"That's no excuse."

Elisa sighed and rolled her eyes. "OK, OK." I gotta go do homework. Matt and Jamie watched the exchange in amusement, then went back to playing a game.


	3. Chapter 3

Learning to Fall

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. You know the drill.

Yes, I finally updated!

A/N: Billie and Kari probably won't be in the rest of the story. Imaginary four year olds aren't anyeasier to deal with than real four year olds. Kari got bored and wandered off to play.

Characters:

**Wyatt Halliwell**-power over earth, telekinesis, telepathy, healing, orbing, magical shield, sensing friends and family

**Chris Halliwell**-telekinesis, power over water, orbing, sensing

**Laura Halliwell**-molecular manipulation_-freezing time and blowing things up_, power over air, orbing, sensing

**Elisa Halliwell**- seeing into past and future, power over fire, empathy

**Matt Halliwell**-orbing, far-seeing_-he can see things far away using his magic_, echo effect with Jamie-_the two of them can join their powers and amplify them._

**Jamie Halliwell**-orbing, teleportation, echo effect with Jamie

**Morgan**-power over the dead

**Alyssa**-telepathy, power over light

Although Wyatt is the only Halliwell with telepathy, any of his family members can mentally contact him, and he can establish a mind link with them

The twins work best with each other. The older four can work well interchangeably. Out of the older four, Laura works best with the twins.

Chapter 4 

As the weeks went by, Chris got accustomed to his family. He enjoyed Elisa's company the most. Laura still seemed to resent him. Matt and Jamie seemed to like him, but they were mostly in their own little world. Wyatt…he didn't know what to think about Wyatt. He kept wanting to like him, but his memories of the old Wyatt kept coming into his mind. He liked Wyatt's girlfriend, Lyssa. The fiery half-elemental seemed to charm everyone that she met. Morgan hadn't been around since her argument with Wyatt.

"How are you?" said Lyssa's bright, cheerful, voice. "All right," Chris answered shortly. "In other words, not that well." Lyssa's golden gaze seemed to pierce his soul. "Hey kiddo, tell me what's wrong."

"It's just…too weird. I don't belong here."

"Yes you do!"

"No, I don't! The other Chris belongs here!"

"Chris, you are our Chris. You just don't know it yet!"

"Look, in my world…"

"In your old world-one that doesn't exist anymore, mind you-Wyatt was evil, Laura was born dead, Morgan never existed, Wyatt and I hated each other, and and your mother and aunts were dead. None of that is real anymore, Chris, it doesn't matter!"

"How do you know all that?"

Lyssa suddenly looked hesitant. "Well, I am a telepath."

"So you know stuff from me that I didn't know?"

She wouldn't look at him. "What aren't you telling me," he demanded. "Chris, please don't be angry. I know about that timeline because-I lived it."

"WHAT!"

"Calm down, please. Yes, I lived it. You know I'm not completely mortal. The immortal part of me exists outside of time. It sleeps, so I can have a life. I can have friends, marry, have kids, all the things that normal people do. But when my mortal body dies, I will become immortal again."

"That's creepy."

"Yeah, it is. Wyatt's the only one who knows very much about it, him and Morgan. Anyway, I fought Wyatt in the old timeline.

"Who did you work for?" Chris asked, knowing that she had to have been protected by someone.

Lyssa hesitated. "Gideon," she answered quietly.

"WHAT!" Chris jumped back in panic, ready to fight. He threw up his hands-and found himself pinned against a tree. Alyssa held him with one hand, golden eyes brilliant with anger. "Will you calm down! It's not what you think. Now, I am going to slowly let go of you. You will let me talk. Otherwise, I will have Morgan dunk you into the River Styx until you can think properly!" She released him. Chris sat on the ground, morefrightened than he'd been in a long time.Alyssa sat down in front of him. "Now. In the old future, it didn't take Gideon long to figure out what a monumentally stupid mistake he had made. No one knew it was him; they thought that it was Barbas. I think Paige suspected something-she's had a suspicious mind in all the lifetimes, but she could never prove it. I think that the elders hoped that Piper and Leo could fix the damage-and they did the best they could-but it wasn't enough. Maybe things would have been OK if Piper hadn't died when she did, but that's what happened." She took a deep breath. "Gideon never stopped trying to find a way to fix things. The world needed Wyatt-needed Excalibur-for an evil that was coming, but the old Wyatt would probably destroy the world before the dead ever could. Then you came up with your plan, and we got our miracle."

"Well, if the all-knowing elders wanted me to go back in time, then_ why didn't they tell me who turned Wyatt?"_

"Because that wasn't all we wanted!" Alyssa shouted. "We needed _you_. And your family. We needed the Charmed Ones alive, we needed a thousand other things. Everything they went through, everything they suffered, made them who they are today. It allowed them to raise warriors who could fight evil and still remember what they were fighting for!" The passion in her voice and manner burned like fire. She was literally burning, Chris realized. He stepped back quickly. Suddenly aware of the light and heat she was generating, Lyssa calmed down. Chris felt uneasy. "All right. I'm a Halliwell; I should be used to things like this." Alyssa laughed. "Don't worry, no one ever gets used to it. Wyatt's the exception. He seriously seems to regard it as normal. I don't know, maybe the Twice-Blessed thing has something to do with it."

"Yeah, you're all freaks together."

"Oh, and you're normal?"

As she spoke, Alyssa seemed almost to dim slightly. "Hey Alyssa, did Gideon know that he would die?"

"Who?" she asked blankly. "Gideon," Chris repeated. "You mean the fallen elder who tried to kill Wyatt? What about him?"

He stared at her, realizing she honestly did not remember the conversation. He felt disturbed. Who-or what-had he been talking to?"

Chris couldn't forget his eerie conversation with Alyssa. He didn't understand why she had acted so oddly. Wyatt found him sitting on the bed. "You all right, kiddo?"

"I'm fine."

"Chris, what's wrong? Lyssa says you're avoiding her. She thinks she frightened you. What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Chris, come on. I'm not stupid. What happened?"

"Does she ever…forget things?"

"Forget?"

"I was talking to her. She knew stuff she couldn't have known, told me stuff about my past I didn't know. But ten minutes later, she didn't really remember it at all."

"Oh, I see. Chris, Lyssa is only part mortal. The elemental part of her is immortal; it exists outside of time. Usually the immortal part of her sleeps. Occasionally it wakes up. When it does, she knows things from the past, or even things that never happened. It always goes back to sleep, though. When that happens…she seems to forget. I think it's her magic's way of protecting her sanity." Wyatt hesitated. "I'm not sure, but I think that Morgan may be similar to Lyssa. Except I don't think the immortal part of her has ever woken. I don't want to be around if it does."

"She's not evil, is she?"

"Evil, no. She's a good witch. But if she ever wakes, I'm not sure her immortal half will sleep again." Chris felt a chill run down his spine. He didn't ask for an explanation, realizing that this was something Wyatt knew instinctively rather than logically. Wyatt changed the subject. "I was going to play catch with the kids. Want to come?"

"Laura won't like it."

"Laura just hates change. But completely avoiding her isn't going to get her any more accustomed to you."

Chris suspected that he wasn't going to be able to get out of it. He followed Wyatt outside.

Laura, Matt, and Jamie were waiting outside. Laura scowled at Chris and started to leave. Wyatt caught her by the shoulder and whispered in her ear. Listening sulkily, she nodded. Chris and Wyatt alternated throwing the ball to the kids. Chris began to wonder at the wisdom of using a regular ball. Jamie was a terrible catcher but absolutely fearless, so half the time the ball either flew over her head or hit her-she was going to end up covered in bruises. Matt and Laura were much better catchers. Laura caught almost every ball. Chris turned his head when a flash of light caught his eye. Before he had time to put his glove up, Laura threw the ball hard at him. The ball struck him in the head. Wyatt flicked his hands at Laura, orbing her to her room. When he turned to heal Chris' eye, Chris muttered, "Leave it." Ignoring him, Wyatt healed the bruise. To Chris' surprise, Jamie ran up to him and hugged him around the waist. "Want to see our treehouse," Matt offered. "Laura can't come, but you can."

"Sure," Chris answered, laughing. He was surprisingly pleased at the twins' affection. Wyatt muttered something about talking some sense into Laura and orbed out.

Laura sulkily apologized to Chris, then ignored him for the next three days. Chris heard Wyatt and Elisa talking in low tones. "I just don't understand what's up with her," Elisa said. "I'm not sure, either," Wyatt answered. "Maybe she's just having trouble understanding what's going on."

"She's twelve, Wyatt, not two."

"Heck, I'm twenty-four, and I'm not sure I understand it. And don't forget, the last time we encountered another Chris he tried to kill her."

"But that was a Chris from an alternate world, not an alternate timeline."

"Oh yeah, and the distinction is really clear."

Chris found himself wishing he hadn't listened to the conversation. Elisa had told him it was a demon that attacked Laura! He realized the irony of her lie; he had told a similar lie when he first went back to the past. He decided to listen to music in his room. Hopefully he could slip by without Wyatt and Elisa noticing.

Chris played the music as loud as he could get away with. A knock at the door startled him. "Come in" he called. Jamie came through the door, looking nervous. "I brought you a Coke if you want it," she said anxiously. "Thanks," Chris laughed. "What was that for?"

"Since Laura was mean to you."

"I've survived worse than getting hit in the head by a ball," he answered dryly.

Jamie gave him a pleading look. "OK, squirt, thanks." He gulped some of it down to please her, coughing slightly. Jamie chattered nervously for several minutes as he drank it. When he finished, she edged out of the room. Chris' head began to spin. "Jamie, wha…" He collapsed.

Chris woke up briefly, hearing chanting. Laura was saying a spell. She had tied him up. He was really getting tired of people knocking him out. Couldn't these people just ask questions? Suddenly, the memories flowed through his head. He began to twist one way and another, trying to get away from the memories. Kneeling by his mother's dead body, seeing San Francisco turn into a war zone, watching his beloved older brother turn into a monster as the hidden darkness inside him came out, that same brother trying to kill him, killing Bianca instead…Long dead ghosts floated through his head, screaming for revenge. Every person who had been injured or killed just for knowing him, the people who had been punished because he had rebelled against Wyatt, all the innocents his brother had killed. He didn't deserve to be here. He didn't deserve this happy life. He had stolen it from someone else. He saw Wyatt, face twisted with anger, shouting. Wyatt was going to kill him. Panicked, Chris let his power explode outward, then retreated to the door in the back of his mind.

Chris found himself in a place he didn't recognize. He stood in a cold river. The water was shallow, with a slow current. Chris had the sudden urge to lie down. He knelt down in the water. Strangely, it felt warmer. He felt someone yank him up and slap him. "What are you doing?" Another slap. Chris opened his eyes-when had he closed them?-and found Morgan scowling at him. "What are you doing?"she asked angrily.

"Where am I?"

"You're in Death, you idiot. You have to go back."

"I don't want to."

Morgan gave a half scream of frustration. She hit him again, this time digging her nails in. Chris yelled in shock.

"Stop being an idiot and let's go home. It's not your time, Chris."

"How do you know?"

"Death is my specialty, numbskull.

"How did you find me?"

"Come back with me and I'll explain."

She froze. "Something's coming." Chris noticed that a shadow was moving in the water. It suddenly erupted. A gruesome monster reached for both of them. Morgan suddenly pulled out a sword Chris hadn't noticed beforehand. She stabbed the creature twice, then took off its head. "Let's go," she shouted. Chris was happy to follow her.

When they woke up, they were covered with ice. Chris shuddered, a flare of magic causing the ice to melt and evaporate into the air. Elisa was waiting for them. "Chris, you terrified us," she chastised. "Why did Laura do that?" Elisa sighed. "Chris, she's still young. And we didn't tell her enough. She thought you were a threat to Wyatt. She thought that she could send you away and bring her brother back. She doesn't understand that you are her brother."

"Am I?"

"Yes, you are, baby." Piper said. "You are my son. You belong here, with us." She knelt beside him. "Peanut, I know this is so confusing. I know the kids made mistakes," she said as she glanced at Wyatt, who flushed. "And we didn't do enough to help," Piper continued. "But I promise you, you are home. We'll find a way to get your memories. And if we don't, we'll help you make new ones." She hugged her son. "Now, sleep."

Wyatt gathered his sister, cousins, girlfriend, and Morgan into the attic. "We all need to talk," he said flatly. "I admit it, I made the mistake of thinking he was evil when he first came here. I also made the mistake of thinking as though there were two Chris'. There aren't. That is Chris. And the sooner we get used to it, the better off we are." He looked steadily at Morgan. "You don't trust him? I understand. But you had better learn how to trust him, because you're going to be working with him." Eyes down, Morgan nodded. Wyatt looked at his fiancée and Elisa. "You two have been working overtime trying to help him. I'm sorry we weren't more help. Just keep doing what you're doing."

"Are you mad at me?" Jamie asked. Wyatt knelt down in front of her and Matt. "Hey, I know this is confusing for you two. But I need you to trust me and Elisa. And you know to come talk to me about anything magical." They nodded slowly. Wyatt turned last to Laura, who was studying the floor. "Laura, I have the same question for you. Why didn't you come talk to me or Elisa?" Tears streamed down her face, but she didn't answer. "Laura." She looked up at him. "I know you're scared. I know you want to fix things, but sometimes we can't fix everything. This is one time where you just have to trust us. And we have to be able to trust you." She nodded. "Now, go talk to Mom." Laura sighed and orbed out.

Piper was waiting for her downstairs. "Laura, how could you do this?"

"I thought he had done something to our Chris, Mom!"

"I explained this to you!"

"Not enough!"

"Laura, you are a child. Sometimes you just have to listen to me, even if you don't understand."

A nearby vase exploded. "One minute I'm expected to think everything through and predict all the consequences, the next minute I'm supposed to obey you even when I think there's danger! Why can't you make up your minds?"

"It's called growing up, honey. Welcome to the real world." Piper raised her eyebrow at Paige, who shrugged. "Laura, part of growing up is learning judgment. Sometimes you make mistakes. Another part of growing up is learning to deal with the consequences. That's our job to teach it to you." Laura sighed in frustration. She hated these lectures. She wished that they would just skip to the punishment. "What are you going to do?"

"Laura, did you honestly still think that Chris was dangerous?" Laura trembled. "I didn't know. I thought that if we just had the other Chris back, then it wouldn't matter."

"He is Chris!"

"I know that now!"

Piper took a deep breath. "Laura, you misused your powers. I can't bind them, because I can't leave you helpless. But I am going to restrict your use of them. You are forbidden to use your powers except in an emergency, or unless an adult gives you permission. I'll have Wyatt do a spell so that he will know if you use your powers without authorization. You're also grounded for the next three weeks. No TV, no music, no telephone, no friends." Laura went to the most important thing. "When can I use my magic without permission?"

"When I decide I can trust you. I'll let you know when that is." Laura hung her head and nodded.

The man stood across the street watching the house. He knew better than to take on the Halliwells before he was ready. But he would be ready soon. Ready to destroy the Twice-Blessed Witch and everything he valued. "I will take all that is yours and leave you with nothing," he vowed softly. He sensed a familiar presence in the house. "I'll see you soon, little sister," he murmured. A cold wind wrapped around him.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

A/N: You may be happy to know that I've about finished drafting the end of this. Updates will be posted when I have the time and when I'm sure I like the chapters. I've started writing a few chapters ahead so I can make changes as needed before posting.

Characters:

**Wyatt Halliwell**-power over earth, telekinesis, telepathy, healing, orbing, magical shield, sensing friends and family

**Chris Halliwell**-telekinesis, power over water, orbing, sensing

**Laura Halliwell**-molecular manipulation_-freezing time and blowing things up_, power over air, orbing, sensing

**Elisa Halliwell**- seeing into past and future, power over fire, empathy

**Matt Halliwell**-orbing, far-seeing_-he can see things far away using his magic_, echo effect with Jamie-_the two of them can join their powers and amplify them._

**Jamie Halliwell**-orbing, teleportation, echo effect with Jamie

**Morgan**-power over the dead

**Alyssa**-telepathy, power over light

Chris orbed out of the way as Wyatt threw the baseball. Somehow, Wyatt was there, grabbing Chris and throwing him to the ground. Chris grabbed Wyatt's ankles and pulled him down. The two fought on the ground for several minutes before Wyatt pinned Chris and held him there. "Aren't you two supposed to be fighting with magic?" Alyssa's low laugh distracted them. She wore a white blouse and blue jeans. Chris noticed that Wyatt's gaze locked on her. "Yeah, well, we got distracted." Alyssa smiled wryly. "I orbed," Chris mock-protested. "Yeah, 'cause you really need to work on that," Morgan commented as she joined them. She wouldn't quite look Chris in the eye, but she didn't ignore him. "Hey, being able to run away is an important part of knowing how to fight," Chris retorted. He blinked as his mind spun in confusion. He didn't remember ever saying that before. Morgan's face turned pale. Chris looked at all three in turn. "OK, I'm confused."

"It's an old joke the two of you had," Wyatt said quickly. "Don't ask me to explain it; it makes no sense to me."

"If you have to explain it, it isn't a joke," Morgan muttered. "Piper says we have a demon to hunt," she announced. "All right, let's go check it out." Alyssa caught Wyatt's hand as he orbed them both up to the attic. Morgan and Chris followed.

"What do we have?" Wyatt asked. "Zombies that think, apparently," Elisa explained. "Then they're not zombies," Morgan answered dryly. "They're not called zombies anyway, that's a book and movie term."

"What are they called?" Chris asked. "Cannon fodder," Morgan smirked. Everyone stared at her. "They're called Remnants. But Remnants didn't do this. Shadows did."

"Shadows?"

"Dead spirits that feed on human life. There's a theory that the oldest ones were never alive in the first place; that they were some type of demon."

"All right," Chris commented. "Anything else?"

"Well, they're probably being controlled by a necromancer. A powerful one, if he can control Shadows."

"So, Shadows eat human flesh?"

"What? No."

"Then these can't be Shadows, because that's what they did."

Morgan stared at Elisa. "OK, then I have no clue."

"Maybe it's not a Dead creature," Alyssa suggested. "Well, I can go scout it out," Morgan stated. "I should be able to sense what it is."

"Excellent," Wyatt answered. "Take Chris with you."

Morgan opened her mouth to protest, took one look at Wyatt's face, and closed it. She turned to look at Chris. "The Dead don't like water. The rest of your powers probably won't have that much of an effect on them." She grabbed Chris' arm. A cold wind enveloped them both.

Shivering with cold, Chris looked around at the deserted alley. Morgan knelt down beside the corpse. Despite himself, Chris felt sick. He wouldn't have recognized it as a human being if he didn't already know. "If you're going to be sick, do it quietly," Morgan said absently. "Definitely a Dead Creature," Morgan said flatly. "And that means we are in a great deal of trouble." She softly whispered a spell, holding her hands over the corpse. Her face was a blank mask as she stood up. "A girl, a little younger than Elisa. She didn't deserve this." Her tone was casual, as though she were discussing the weather. Chris could sense the cold rage inside her. "Let's go. We'll need a plan."

Hearing the sound of crying, Chris paused to see Morgan sitting alone in the attic, shoulders shaking. _Go to her_, a voice inside him said. She'll kill me, he argued with the voice. She doesn't even trust me. _Talk to her_, the voice insisted. Chris knocked on the door. "Go away," Morgan mumbled. Her tone was what stopped him. It was defiant, with a trace of vulnerability. He sat down on a chair close to her, pretending to be fascinated by a candleholder. "He wants to lure me out," Morgan said suddenly. "Who?" Chris asked. "My brother. He's the one who sent the Dead creature." Chris, horrified,didn't know what to say.

"What will he do if he finds you?"

"Kill me. I'm destined to destroy him. It's why I was born."

"How do you know?" Chris realized how stupid that was as soon as he said it. Morgan shrugged. "My father was a necromancer, a powerful one. My brother was his heir. I was just one of his extra children, basically a tool to enhance my brother's power. When I was seven, I overheard a seer tell my father that I would destroy my brother one day. That night, Axel tried to kill me. For some reason, I survived." She swallowed. "I ran away that night. Some people found me sleeping in a park outside in the morning and called the police. The Elders hid me for five years and trained me, then sent me to your parents."

"How old is your brother?"

"Three years older than me. He was ten when he tried to kill me," Morgan added. "What about your other siblings?"

"They're dead. Axel would have made them into his slaves by now. That's the only reason they were born."

Chris frowned suddenly. "That Dead creature,"

"Could be one of them," Morgan finished for him. She shivered. "I'm sorry," Chris said quietly. "Don't be," Morgan answered. "Destroying them would be the most merciful thing we could do." She shrugged. "I barely knew them. We were considered expendable and raised to compete for our father's and Axel's favor. I was more or less Axel's favorite until he discovered what a danger I was." She looked at him. "And don't think that means he'll hesitate to kill me.Axelcares as much about human life as I do about cockroaches.Chris looked at the ground. "I'm sorry," he muttered, not knowing exactly what he was apologizing for. Morgan studied him. "Fair's fair. Tell me what your other life was like." Chris looked at her warily; her expression was adamant. Sighing, he began talking. He told her how Wyatt systematically took over the world. He told her how he and Bianca had come up with the plan to go back in time. He found himself telling her about his childhood as well. He told her about the tricks he and Wyatt had played on the adults, how the two of them fought repeatedly but always stuck together. "That's why he was so angry," Chris explained. "He couldn't believe that I would betray him." Morgan listened intently. She frowned a little. "If he wrote the spell the first time, why didn't he write it again?" Chris shrugged. Morgan looked up suddenly. "Let's go back to the house." She seemed edgy and nervous all of a sudden. Chris reached out, took her arm and orbed them both back to the Manor.

All of the cousins, even the twins, sat gathered in the attic. Alyssa was lounging on the floor. They all looked up as Chris and Morgan joined them. "You two all right," Wyatt asked sharply. The two witches nodded. Wyatt turned his attention to the entire group. "What do we know?"

"I think I know who is doing this," Morgan said haltingly. Wyatt gave her a sharp look. "Axel." Wyatt's face paled. "You're sure?" Morgan hesitated, then continued. "That might explain the Dead creature. It may have been one of my siblings. I sensed something…familiar…about the killing." Laura suddenly stood up, walked over to Morgan, and hugged her tightly. Suddenly self-conscious, Laura sat down abruptly. "Anything else?" Wyatt asked. "There have been a total of six deaths like this," Elisa announced. "Three children have disappeared from their homes," Laura added. "One of the kids at school found a bunch of dead animals," Jamie piped up. Matt nodded eagerly. Chris had to fight back a laugh, despite the circumstances, at the twins' eagerness to help. Wyatt kept his face serious. "I'll ask Seth, Leah, and Jake to look into these three for us. Morgan, Chris, and Elisa work on potions. Laura, can you look through the Book?"

"What should we do?" Jamie asked. "You and Matt help me," Wyatt answered. "We'll set up wards around the house." The family split up to work. Alyssa followed the twins and Wyatt.

Review please!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

A/N: It was brought to my attention that I never gave exact ages. So I went through and put their ages. There may be mistakes about ages in the story; I think at one point I say that Wyatt is twenty-four, but there shouldn't be any big differences. Also, I noticed a typo in the powers section that I fixed. Jamie has the echo effect with Matt, not with herself. Enjoy, and review!

Characters:

**Wyatt Halliwell **(25)-power over earth, telekinesis, telepathy, healing, orbing, magical shield, sensing friends and family

**Chris Halliwell**- (23)-telekinesis, power over water, orbing, sensing

**Laura Halliwell**-(12)-molecular manipulation_-freezing time and blowing things up_, power over air, orbing, sensing

**Elisa Halliwell**-(18) seeing into past and future, power over fire, empathy

**Matt Halliwell**-(8)-orbing, far-seeing_-he can see things far away using his magic_, echo effect with Jamie-_the two of them can join their powers and amplify them._

**Jamie Halliwell**-(8)-orbing, teleportation, echo effect with Matt

**Billie**-telekinesis

**Kari**-(4)-telekinesis

**Morgan**-(21)-power over the dead

**Alyssa**-(25)-telepathy, power over light

**Chapter 5**

Potion-making was not going well. The three witches kept bumping into each other and getting in each others' way. Chris stepped on Morgan's heel, accidentally knocking her against the counter. A potion vial fell to the ground, making them jump. Morgan hissed in pain as glass cut her skin. Piper poked her head in and watched them amusedly. "Too many chefs in the kitchen." Leo came in after Piper and healed Morgan's hand. "Chris, why don't you go give your sister a hand?" Chris orbed upstairs. Laura was sprawled out on the floor as she studied the Book. Chris sat cross-legged next to her. Laura gave him a look that wasn't exactly welcoming, but wasn't angry either. "Are the potions ready?"

"We spent more time spilling the potions than making them," Chris answered dryly. "Mom said there were too,"

"…many chefs in the kitchen," Laura finished with a giggle. She stretched like a cat. "Have you found anything yet?" He frowned at the book. "Other than the fact that Wyatt has _really_ bad handwriting." Laura grimaced and propped her head on her hand. "Nothing. The family has never come up against anything like this." Chris sat quietly while Laura flipped through the book. Try as he might, he couldn't remember anything about Dead creatures from his other lifetime. "What about you," Laura asked. "I don't really know anything. Wyatt didn't like necromancy. He thought the magic was too uncontrolled. I don't think he ever used it." He frowned. "So what is Axel after? Does he just want Morgan? Or is there something else?"

"Like what, world domination?" Chris rolled his eyes at the twelve year old's flippant tone. He frowned suddenly. "Maybe so." Laura raised her eyebrows. "There was something Alyssa said to me once…"

"We need to tell Wyatt," Laura interrupted. The two siblings ran down the stairs. "Wyatt!" Laura yelled. Half the family converged on them. "What's wrong?" Elisa demanded. "Chris thinks he knows something."

"Right," Wyatt said. "Laura, help the twins finish the wards." Wyatt, Chris, Elisa, and Lyssa gathered in a group. Chris gave a summary of his conversation with Lyssa. She frowned a little. "I remember absolutely nothing of this." Wyatt shrugged a little and gave her a half-hug. "So, why exactly does Chris have his old memories? Was it intentional or accidental? And how does it connect to Axel?" No one had an answer. Wyatt sighed in annoyance. "Well, I'm sure we'll figure it out too late. In the meantime, we need to figure out how to beat Axel. I'm pretty sure he wants more than just Morgan. Axel never does anything for just one reason." Chris had the feeling he was missing something here, but this didn't seem to be the time to ask. He didn't want to admit, even to himself, that he was still nervous around Wyatt. He looked up to meet Wyatt's steady gaze. "Something wrong, Chris?" Chris looked away and shook his head. "I'm fine." Giving him a look that said they weren't finished, Wyatt turned the discussion to battle plans.

Chris couldn't shake the feeling that this plan would turn out badly. He tried to talk to Elisa about it. "Wyatt knows what he's doing, Chris, and so does Morgan."

"I know, but…"

"But what?"

"Never mind," Chris sighed.

That night they were ready to move. Wyatt, Morgan, and Elisa wore old long-sleeved shirts and jeans. Lyssa wore a t-shirt and black stretch pants. She briefly hugged Wyatt before leaving to set up a diversion. Chris swallowed. "I think we should call this off." The other witches stared at him in shock. "Do you have any particular reason for thinking so?" Chris heard the low undercurrent of tension in Wyatt's voice. "You didn't have anything to say earlier," Elisa said questioningly. "Do you have another plan," Wyatt asked calmly. "No…"

"Then we're going with this one," his brother said flatly. "Are you coming or not?" Chris swallowed. "I'm coming." They orbed out.

The four witches appeared in an empty warehouse. Elisa briefly closed her eyes and reached out with her empathy. Gasping in shock, she stumbled. Chris caught her and held her upright until her legs steadied. "The innocents..he's been torturing them. Three are still alive."

"Can you sense Axel or his minions?"

Elisa shook her head. "The diversion Seth, Leah, and Lyssa set up must have worked."

"Let's get this over with," Chris said anxiously. Elisa led the way.

It took every ounce of self-control Chris possessed not to throw up as he saw Axel's victims. Elisa turned pale and clung to Chris. He realized she was having the worst time of all-she was an empathy. A cold fury replaced shock on Wyatt's face. Morgan's face was expressionless. Her dark eyes stood out in her pale face. Elisa took a breath to speak. "_Cut them down_," she whispered harshly. Wyatt pulled out a small knife. Chris stared at Wyatt cut the metal chains using a knife. Magic, he realized. "We need to get these people out of here," Wyatt stated. Morgan and Elisa stood ready to fight as Chris and Wyatt prepared to orb the victims to safety. An inhuman screech pierced the silence. The witches formed a protective circle around the victims as they searched for the source. Three Dead creatures appeared, formless shadows that seemed to emanate death. "Shadows," Morgan hissed. She pulled out a small flute and began to play an eerie melody. The Shadows began to twist and writhe. Elisa pulled out a match from her pocket and lit it. As she tossed it into the air, it became a stream of fire. The Shadows screeched in agony. Chris extended his senses, but found no running water he could use. Seeing Wyatt use telekinesis to manipulate the firestreams Elisa created, Chris did the same. "Orb out, we'll follow," Morgan yelled. Wyatt and Chris grabbed the victims and orbed out. A moment later, Morgan and Elisa appeared in a burst of cold wind.

Leo and Paige appeared to help Wyatt with healing. "Did everything go well," Piper demanded. "Everything's fine, Mom," Wyatt reassured her. Piper scowled worriedly. "Since when are things ever this easy?"

"Maybe we just got lucky." They all turned to see Alyssa standing there, leaning against a wall. "Did he fall for it?" Wyatt asked. Alyssa nodded. "We didn't manage to kill him, but we hurt him pretty badly."

"Well, as long as you're sure," Piper said. Her tone suggested she still worried. Wyatt shrugged. "We weakened him, so finally destroying him will be that much easier. Everything will be fine."

Later that night, Chris found Wyatt looking through the Book. "Something wrong," Chris asked. "I'm not sure Axel was the one Alyssa fought," Wyatt admitted. "She sounded pretty certain."

"It just doesn't feel right."

"I told you that," Chris said without thinking. Wyatt's face tensed with anger, then he took a breath and relaxed. "Right action, wrong timing." Chris raised an eyebrow. "Chris, that's the point of making plans and discussing them. So if someone finds a weakness, they can point it out while there's still time to fix it. Understand?" Chris nodded slowly. "So what do we do?"

"All we can do is wait for Axel's next move."

"Great," Chris said unenthusiastically. Wyatt shook his head, amused. "Hey, Wyatt," Chris asked as he left. Wyatt looked up. "If Axel didn't fall for the diversion, where was he?"

The three victims seemed dazed and uncertain. All three were witches. Piper brought the three of them something to drink. Two of the innocents were siblings. One was twelve, the other sixteen. Laura, sitting on the floor leaning against Morgan, sent a sympathetic smile to the twelve year old. "It's OK now, you're safe." The girl stared at her mug of hot chocolate. Her brother stroked her hair gently. He gave the Halliwells a grateful smile. "I don't know how to thank you for saving our lives." Elisa smiled warmly. "It's what we do."

"We really should be getting home," the sixteen year old said reluctantly. "I'm not sure it's safe," Piper said hesitantly. "We'll be fine. We can set up warding crystals," the boy reassured her. The girl suddenly lifted her head. "I'm scared to go home. Can't we stay?" Her eyes pleadingly locked on Piper. Her brother put an arm around her shoulders. "Don't be silly, Bonnie, we'll be fine." The girl instantly dropped her eyes. "Thanks again for everything," the boy said. Piper said she would drive them home. Phoebe looked uncertainly at the third victim, a young woman of about twenty. She had not spoken a word. Her eyes seemed unfocused. "Leo, are you sure she's all right," Phoebe asked. Leo looked at the girl curiously. "I healed everything I sensed. She's just in shock right now. It's no wonder."

"I'll orb her home," Leo said.

He returned a few minutes later. "I left her with her parents. I think she'll be fine." Piper pulled up fifteen minutes later. "I walked them up to the door. He said he would tell their parents in the morning."

"They were sleeping?" Leo asked in surprise.

Piper shrugged. "The house was dark. He promised to set the warding crystals."

"She was really scared," Laura said suddenly. "Well of course she was," Piper answered. "Don't worry sweetie, everything we'll be fine."

"I'll find out who their whitelighter is tomorrow, make sure they're OK," Leo reassured her. Laura looked unconvinced, but nodded. They all went to bed. In the basement of a palatial mansion, a girl cried herself to sleep as she lay in chains. New cuts, bruises, and welts replaced the ones that had been healed. Her parents and brother were dead. She found herself praying for death. Upstairs, Axel lounged on a sofa and watched TV. He couldn't believe how stupid the Halliwells were. Being brought into their house negated any protective magics they had put up. "Old friend, little sister, I expected better of you," he murmured amusedly. He thought he had taught Morgan better, but apparently the years she spent being raised by good witches had softened her brain and dulled her instincts. He considered ordering his minions to further torment the little girl, but decided against it. She was close to the breaking point, and he had plans for her. Waving his hand, he brought up an image of the little Halliwell girl, Laura. She lay sleeping on her bed with Matt and Jamie curled up on either side of her. He had cells prepared for the three of them. They were young and malleable enough to prove useful. The older ones would die, of course. If possible, he would try to bind Alyssa. He could draw power by killing her mortal form and capturing her immortal form. It was a perfect plan. He would give them a few days to relax and lower their guard.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

A/N: If you want to see the character list, refer to the earlier chapters.

**Chapter 6**

Leo went to check with the Elders the next day. "They found Axel's body. He must have been killed in the fight." Alyssa looked relieved. Wyatt, Chris, and Elisa traded high fives. "What about Bonnie," Laura asked. Leo looked at her. "Their whitelighter was apparently killed when they were captured. A new whitelighter will be assigned to them."

"See, honey," Piper asked. "Everything's fine." Laura smiled slightly and nodded. Chris found Morgan sitting outside. She smiled slightly at him. "How are you," Chris asked. "I'm fine. All I really feel is relief. I was so afraid of Axel." She frowned a little, rubbing a cut she had gotten during the fight against the Shadows. "The crazy thing is, I keep thinking that it's just a dream. That he's really still out there." Chris squeezed her shoulder. "I understand. But he's gone. For good."

Chris spent the next few days having fun with his siblings. He played softball with Laura and the twins. Laura seemed to be accepting the fact that Chris really was her brother. Her resentment towards him was gone. Chris enjoyed hanging out with Elisa and Wyatt. Chris was slowly starting to relax around his older brother. They played basketball, football, and dodgeball with Elisa, Morgan, and Lyssa. Many of their practice sessions turned into mock fights. Everything seemed perfect.

Morgan lay back on the bed and closed her eyes. She had spent the last few nights at the Manor. A strange melody filled her ears. She stood up and walked downstairs, searching for the source of the music. She seemed to be in a dream. The music intensified as she reached the living room. "Stop," a voice commanded softly. "Hold still." Morgan obeyed. A dark form moved towards her. A small part of mind screamed at her to run, but she couldn't even twitch. A cold hand grasped her arm as darkness took her.

Chris heard someone calling his name. Jamie. He orbed to her…and Shadows immediately wrapped around him, holding him prisoner. Wyatt, Elisa, Laura and Morgan were similarly bound. His eyes went to the still figures of Jamie and Matt laying helpless on the ground, tied up. The young girl that they had rescued stood nearby. She called out loud, "They're all here." Her older brother appeared in a blast of cold air. _Axel._ Chris knew suddenly that somehow he had survived. Wyatt swore softly.

"You switched bodies," Wyatt stated in sudden understanding. He laughed. "Did you really think you and your pathetic family could kill me? I made a deal with the stupid witch. I promised his little sister would live if he served me. It's such a shame he had to die," Axel said mockingly. "I do hope your little friends killed him quickly." He shot the little girl a mocking look. Morgan hissed in fury. "You make me _sick_." Axel laughed mockingly. "Apparently you've forgotten your place. I'll enjoy teaching it to you again.

"I'm beginning to think I should have studied genetics," Chris snapped. "And why is that," Axel sneered. Chris smirked. "Ever hear about linked genes? I think the evil gene must be linked to the bragging gene. Every evil dictator wannabe I've met loves to hear himself talk." Axel laughed contemptuously. "Perhaps I won't break you immediately. I'm going to enjoy this." He made a command to his Dead siblings. They locked the Halliwells in cages. "What about me", the young girl asked, voice shaking. Axel glanced at her casually. "Chain her," she said casually. "I still have some use for her."

"No!" The girl's scream had more in common with an animal than a human. "You promised me! You said after this you wouldn't need me any more!" Axel gestured at her, sending her flying against the wall. Her brief rebellion crushed, she obediently sat still while they chained her. The chains wouldn't let her lay down, but she brought her knees up to her chest and rested her head on her knees. Axel disappeared. None of the witches said anything for several long minutes. The girl sobbed softly to herself. Chris barely heard her whisper. "You promised you would let me die."

Chris struggled to focus his thoughts enough to think. There had to be a way out of this. Raising his head slightly, his eyes met Wyatt's. A fierce, determined light burned deep in them. Chris experienced a moment of disorientation. He had seen that light in the other Wyatt's eyes on the rare occasions he was confronted by something he couldn't immediately deal with. Chris suddenly realized that he had been thinking of the two Wyatts as two different people, but that wasn't true. This Wyatt was what the old Wyatt could have been, should have been. His brother. Chris gave him a grim smile, which Wyatt returned. Wyatt's eyes flicked to the young girl huddled in the corner. Chris nodded slightly in return. Wyatt closed his eyes and pretended to be unconscious. "Bonnie," Chris called softly. She raised her head and looked at him blankly. "Where is Axel?" She shrugged and put her head back down. "Bonnie, do you want to die?" She raised her head again and nodded. Chris swallowed. "I can help you." Her eyes flared with an emotion that he couldn't name. _"No you can't. No one can help me."_

"_Bonnie, he will never stop using you. You are too strong for him to throw you away. Even if he kills you, he will trap your spirit here to serve him. If you ever want to be free of him, help us now."_ She bit her lip, then nodded imperceptibly. _"We're stronger together,"_ Chris told her silently. She was barely on the edge of sanity; there was a good chance that she would simply go to Axel and tell him about the conversation. But a long shot was better than nothing.

Axel summoned the girl to him. Chris wondered edgily what she was saying. Two hours later, Axel appeared in a blast of cold air. He tied Morgan to a sacrificial altar. Bonnie stood near Alyssa, who had been brought in earlier. Bonnie seemed to be talking to herself. The Shadows filled the air, turning it a murky gray color. The Dead creatures that served Axel waited in the room, eager for the coming sacrifice. Axel was concentrating on the preparations for the spell. He intended to sacrifice Morgan, Chris, and Elisa, using the power to bind Wyatt and Alyssa, making them his slaves. Axel suddenly smiled cruelly. "Unchain the younger brother," he commanded. Bonnie unlocked Chris' chains. Axel looked mockingly at him. "Pick up the knife," he ordered. The blood magic he had used on Chris forced him to obey Axel. In that instant, Bonnie acted. She shouted the last word of the spell she had spoken earlier. Alyssa's human form shifted to pure light. Axel flinched away in fear, momentarily losing concentration. Without really knowing what he was doing, Chris stabbed Morgan with the knife.

She screamed, a high-pitched, uncanny sound. The chains slid off of her as she slowly stood up. Her eyes had turned an uncanny silver color. Axel screamed a command at the Dead creatures. Morgan tilted her head back and gave another inhuman cry. Chris could almost hear music in it. The Dead creatures melted. Morgan turned towards Axel. She began to slowly walk in a circle around him, singing an eerie tune. Axel appeared mesmerized by the unearthly melody. She moved closer and closer. Axel moved forward and grabbed her shoulders. He began to propel her towards the dark pool. Morgan sang the last three notes. A force hit Chris like a tidal wave as Morgan's magic dragged the three of them into Death.

Chris found himself standing in a river. Axel and Morgan fought furiously, each trying to drown each other in the water. He watched helplessly, knowing he would be no use to Morgan here. They moved deeper and deeper into the water. Morgan suddenly caught Axel's arm and pulled him underwater with her. Heedlessly ignoring his danger, Chris dove into the water. He swam further and further, his fierce determination to save her fighting the desire to simply let go and travel down the river. Axel and Morgan seemed to be suspended deep under water. Chris grabbed Morgan's arm and tried to pull her to the surface. He was having trouble focusing. The water was strangely warm. Why shouldn't he go down it?

"Chris!"

That voice sounded familiar.

"Chris! Wake up."

"Please, Chris, I can't do this again. I can't watch you die."

"Chris! Wake up, baby, please."

"Come on, little brother. You have to fight this!"

Wyatt. That was Wyatt's voice. It was closer somehow. Hearing him, Chris remembered how to fight. He took a tighter grip on Morgan's arm and began swimming again. His head broke the water, and he gasped for air. Strong arms pulled him out of the water. "Wyatt?"

"Yeah. You owe me big time, little brother. Now let's go." Chris saw both Wyatt and Laura standing there, looking scared and angry. Suddenly they were back in Life again. Chris' knees buckled, and he knelt on the ground abruptly, holding Morgan against him. He lapsed into unconsciousness.

And next chapter:The conclusion!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

A/N: Yes! The last chapter! I decided to put the last three chapters up at once. Now I can work on other stories. I hope everyone enjoyed the story.

Two weeks passed. Chris learned that Bonnie had used a spell to release Alyssa's immortal form. Lyssa had seared the bonds holding the Halliwells, freeing them. Wyatt and Laura had gone into Death to save Chris and Morgan. To his surprise, Chris learned that Wyatt had known Axel when they were teenagers. Axel had been ordered by his father to kill or turn Wyatt. Fortunately, he hadn't succeeded in either. Chris saw Alyssa talking and laughing with Morgan. Laura chased Matt and Jamie in the front yard while Elisa curled up under a tree watching in amusement. Wyatt came up behind him. "Enjoying the break?"

"Yeah."

"Don't get too used to it. This kind of lull in demon activity is pretty rare."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Chris frowned a little. "Does Alyssa still remember her other lives?"

"No. Apparently the memories were erased when her immortal half went to sleep again. This was the first time it had fully awoken. She's lucky it decided to sleep again. Fortunately, a few decades don't matter much when you're immortal."

"I have a few memories of Morgan from this life, but nothing else."

"You'll probably get more in time."

Wyatt gave him a sideways glance. "Everything happens for a reason, Chris."

"What do I need them for? Axel's dead."

He looked at Bonnie, sitting by herself under a tree. Wyatt had healed her physical wounds, but healing the mental scars could take years. "Maybe you should reconsider why they were given to you." Chris followed his gaze. "How can I help her?"

"I don't know, Chris. I just know she needs someone. She's been through a nightmare that none of us understand."

"Morgan does."

Wyatt shook his head. "Morgan is still working things out in her own mind. Give it a shot."

Chris gave up the argument and went to sit beside Bonnie. She looked up at him expressionlessly. "I never did thank you for helping us," Chris said gently. She looked away. "Bonnie, your parents loved you. Do you really think they would want you to die?"

"How could they love me," she whispered.

"They're your family. No matter what you do, what you say, they would love you."

"You don't know that."

"Yeah, I do. Personal experience."

"How?" Her toneless voice held a note of challenge."

"One of my siblings tried to kill me," Chris answered carefully. "They thought I had betrayed the family, but I didn't."

"And you still love them?"

"Yes."

Bonnie thought for a moment about this.

"Tell you what. I won't give up if you won't. We'll do it together, OK? And we'll get Morgan in on it too. She never really had siblings; she could use a little sister."

The little girl nodded slowly. "OK." Chris pulled her ponytail a little. She didn't quite smile, but leaned against him.

The next three months seemed to fly by. Bonnie was slowly starting to trust him. Laura, Matt and Jamie did their best to include Bonnie in their games. Morgan had practically adopted Bonnie as a little sister, and seemed to enjoy it more than she had expected. Four days ago, Chris had been thrown into a daze when he saw Bianca. She was a good witch, and living with some human cousins of hers. She didn't remember him. Thinking about it, Chris realized that the woman he loved no longer existed. The surprising part was that he didn't really care. Bianca was one of the few good memories that he had of his old life, but that was all.

Seeing Morgan, Chris waved to her. She hesitantly came over to him, murmuring hello. She stared out at the horizon. "Piper said you talked to Bianca. You going on a date tonight?"

"Yeah."

A brief expression of pain crossed her face. "Where are you going to eat?"

"That depends. What's your favorite restaurant?"

Morgan stared at him in shock. "Mine?"

"Yeah, I'm not going to take you to a place you don't like."

Her mouth twitched. "I never said I'd go out with you."

"Knew I forgot something. Hey, do you want to go out tonight? I don't have anything better to do."

Morgan smacked him. "Jerk."

"I've been told that."

"But a nice jerk."

"I haven't been told that one."

"Oh, shut up."

"Gladly." Chris leaned over and kissed her briefly. Morgan's eyes opened wide.

"Still think I'm a jerk?"

"Shut up." This time she kissed him. She swung herself up onto the porch railing and jumped down. "Hey," Chris called as she ran towards Elisa. "You never answered me."

Morgan laughed out loud. "Yeah, I did." Chris laughed and shook his head. He heard his mother call for him to help with dinner and Wyatt yell his name in mock outrage. "Guess he found what's left of the CD player," Chris said aloud. If he could get to the kitchen fast enough, he would be safe. Piper never allowed fighting in the kitchen. "It's good to be home," he laughed.

**The End**


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